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2024-GPX-Boss-Katana-GO-700.jpg

Most of you will be familiar with the $399 / €399 / £339 Boss Waza-Air Wireless Guitar Headphone Amp - which delivers the Katana Amp ecosystem within a wireless Bluetooth Headphone Set. The Amps and Effects selection is controlled by a Bluetooth connected Mobile App - and since all the processing is done inline within the Headphones you don’t suffer any wireless lag. That proposition though is rather dear for many, and very much limits the choice and style of headphone you have at your disposal...

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2023-GPX-Thermion-Freeway-700.jpg

The FREEWAY is actually a sort of shrunken down and evolved version of Thermion’s ZERO Amplifier - minus the Power Amp stage, and with some extra features for the modern player. Its key attribute is how you can pretty much plug it into anything - analog / amp / DAW - without the need for any additional interface.

 

As the above visual highlights - this features a version of the ZERO Analog Amplifier with further Analog Speaker Emulation, and an expanded Digital Reverb section from the ZERO - ...

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2023-GPX-Friedman-IR-X-700.jpg

In a fairly signifiant innovation here - David has managed to distil down two of his most popular amps - the Plexi-style Small Box 50, and Hot-Rodded Plexi / JCM800 style BE-100 - into a single relatively compact 2-Channel + Boost format. Interestingly, and differently to the full-fat Victory Amplification V4 floor-based amps (Analog Tube Preamp + Analog Power Amp), David splits the two halves of the circuit into Tube Analog (Preamp), and DSP Modelling (Power Amp, Cab Sim & IR’s). This ...

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2023-GOX-Boss-Katana-Air-EX-700.jpg

Contrary to what I originally thought - this is not a replacement for the original chrome-handled Boss Katana Air - that I featured all the way back in January of 2018, but a more grown-up higher quality sibling. It has much the same functions, control topology and operational parameters as its slightly smaller more plastic forebear - where the Boss engineers have really concentrated on the finishing details and quality of output for the Air EX model. The newer one has a few more ports / ...

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2023-GPX-Boss-AC-22LX-Acoustic-Amp-700-.jpg

Boss have built the perfect performance amp for Acoustic Singer/Songwriters while drawing on some smart technology to simulate traditional Amp Mic’ing setups and delivering it through a fully Immersive Stereo soundstage.

 

You have extensive controls to fine-tune both Vocal and Acoustic Guitar inputs - but there are none of the usual Katana effects and tricks here - this is intended as a more purist stripped down affair - letting the instrument and voice breathe and resonate pretty naturally ...

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16 of the Most Iconic Electric Guitar Amps

Amp HeadAmpsBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBrown Sound DistortionCombo AmpDumbleDumble Style OverdriveFenderHiwattHoopla PedalsIconic GearMarshallMarshall Style DistortionMESA/BoogieMetal DistortionOrange AmplificationOverdrivePeaveyPreAmpRolandSoldanoSolid State AmpTrainWreck AmpsTube AmpTube OverdriveTweed Style OverdriveVox AmplifcationVox Style Distortion+-
2023-GPX-16-Iocnic-Amps-700.jpg

So in my recent ’Guitar Elements’ series it’s finally come to Amps now - where I list out what I believe are the most historically significant and therefore Iconic amps. A lot of you are still conflating Iconic with Vintage, and discounting some of the more recent models - while Iconic does not necessarily infer a long term history and provenance - just that said item or element is a major marker or step forward in the evolution of that device - whatever it may be.

 

I’m not the first to do ...

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2023-GPX-Boss-Artist-II-Head-&-Cab-700.jpg

So this is actually the very first Katana ’Artist’ Head - while it comes in the same Specs as the MKII Edition Katana Artist Combo Amp. Meaning that if you like the Artist variety of Katana - you now have the option of acquiring it in Head + Cab format - as well as the existing all-in-one Combo Amp.

 

This of course gives you the added advantage of being able to chop and change your Speaker Cabinet - while of course Boss has you covered in that regard too - with its matching new 2 x 12" Waza ...

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2023-GPX-Boss-Katnan-50-MKII-EX-Combo-700.jpg

This new edition of Katana 50W Combo Amp simply brings in some of the features previously only available on the larger Katana 100 Edition. You’re essentially getting a more powerful feature rich version of the Katana 50 Combo.

 

So essentially the world’s best-loved practice Amp gets even better.

 

I am still of a mind that Boss’s Katana Range of Amps are the best option for home-play / practice amp - and deliver a combination of features and performance that no other brand has really ...

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2022-GPX-Roland-JC-120-50A-700.jpg

Following on from the unveiling of their Gorgeous unobtanium 50th Anniversary Jupiter-X-Gold synth, we now get the best looking version of the JC-120 amp - with cool Cherry Wood Grain Cabinet and Premium Dark Grey Net.

Only 350 of these will be made in total for worldwide distribution - and the most premium feel version of this amp obviously has a premium price tag in tow too - €1999 / £1689 and equivalent. Please direct your inquiries to your local Roland Dealer.

 

The Jazz Chorus is ...

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Boss's New Rugged Dual Cube LX and Dual Cube Bass LX are the ultimate Grab 'n Go Amps for Indoor Use

AmpsBossCombo AmpGigging AmpHome-Play AmpRolandSolid State Amp+-
2022-GPX-Boss-Dual-Cubes-700.jpg

I will start off with a little contextual history on Roland and Boss Amplifiers. Obviously Roland is Boss’s parent company and had the initial success with its JC Jazz Chorus amps. On the back of that success it then released a number of wedge-shaped Cube amps - essentially outdoor performer amps - which became the mainstays of journeymen buskers. If you’re out and about in London you will likely see Roland Cubes on every other leading tourist area street corner. So for the longest period it ...

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